Between the Lines
by Akizora
Summary: A continuation from near the end of the 1961 film "The Children's Hour". Martha and Karen find themselves embroiled in the scandal that surrounds them. Contains spoilers for the film and rated M for mature themes. Karen x Martha. Chapter 3 now up!
1. Chapter 1

"I _have_ loved you the way they said they have!"

That line echoed in Martha's head repeatedly. With every passing moment the regret began to build up and it was agony. It was so painful as it was the truth, the burden that she locked away from everyone- including herself. No matter how much she wanted it to be reciprocated, deep down she felt disgusted with herself. How can these feelings be wrong? In everyone's condescending eyes it was, and even she begun to accept that no matter how she felt about Karen Wright, her best friend, it was impossible to love her like a man. It was unnatural, deviant and sinful. It all seemed like a hazy dream or as if someone else had said it and what happened after was just a nightmare.

But, it was real and it did happen.

Martha gazed up through the window, her piercing blue eyes reflected the pain she felt as they slowly circled around her dimly lit room.

"No matter where I go, I will cause you pain and suffering. This is all my fault..reputation ,money, career but most of all your relationship with Joe. All gone. How I long to follow you - even to the edge of the world but there is no place for us - no...me. I can't let you sink to my level.. .I belong in a different world...you are too good to go to hell."

Tears started to well up, stinging her sad eyes. Martha did not feel the pain of the tears as the side of her mouth curved upwards into a smile. Her hand faintly touched the glass of the window whilst peering down at the svelte woman walking away from the farmhouse into the garden ahead.

"Karen..these feeling I have..are makes me feel so sick, so dirty,so disgusting! I finally understand now what I am...and I do not want to burden you any longer." Martha looked upwards and saw a part of the ceiling that looked sturdy then she suddenly remembered there was rope lying in the corner that was used to secure the children's luggage when they left the school on vacation. She picked up the old rope from the floor and dangled it in her hands. The weight of the rope was nothing compared to the burden she felt "Don't need this..no school anymore.." she mumbled out loud. Her eyes wandered to the window "Karen..I wish...no, it will be better" more tears fell as she dragged a wooden chair from the desk in front of her. " You always told me to be brave.." Her voice trailed off as she climbed the chair which creaked slightly in response. Martha faced the window and lifted the rope weakly to the beam in the roof. She tied it frantically and pulled to make sure it was taut. She then prepared the remainder of the rope into an oval and pulled it over her head. She did not feel the tight, suffocating pressure as the rope pressed against her throat, constricting her breathing. Her focus was now at the window which she looked out is such a beautiful day...too beautiful.

Martha at that point felt relief that reverberated throughout her body. The drapes bellowed gently back and forth as she gazed at the blue sky with white bellowing clouds slowly travelling across. The bare tree branches swayed slightly in the breeze with the remainder of the dead leaves following suit. Martha gripped the makeshift noose in front of her with both hands , her feet tiptoed to the edge. The chair buckled from underneath as her feet left the ground. She smiled widely and closed her eyes.

This was it.

The darkness that she tried so hard to battle from within enveloped and consumed her. No more hurt, no more sorrow, no more worry, no more life.

"MARTHA...MARTHA!OH MY GOD!MARTHA!" A voice screamed, which reached out from the darkness and called for Martha with so much feeling.

Everything seemed to be so surreal to Martha as the next moment her eyes were open and she was lying on the floor still breathing. Then pain returned, at first it was her throat where the rope was. Every breath she took felt like a knife sliding across it. She coughed violently and raised her hand to her cheek which was throbbing, did Karen slap her? Martha looked up and saw the familiar woman crying uncontrollably as she kneeled to her on the floor.

"Martha! what were you thinking?! You are the only best friend I have ever known or had. How could you think...! " she struggled to say before bursting into tears again, her hazel doe like eyes were rarely as full of tears before now.

The chair lay on the floor knocked over as the rope swung freely in the air with the noose now empty. Martha looked away from the kneeling Karen. She was so deeply ashamed...the torment returned greater than before but she could not shed a single tear as she was so numb and could not move with the shock.

"Martha? Oh dear, what happened here!?" An older woman stood frozen at the entrance to the room. Her eyes widened and stared intensely ahead.

"Mrs Mortar..please go.." Karen pleaded to the older woman.

"That's my niece..you can't bar me from seeing he-" Lily Mortar paused as she noticed the noose swaying in the wind. "We have to get a doctor! I'll go right now and make sure-" she called urgently.

"That.. won't be... necessary.." Martha rasped, holding onto the chair. Her throat that was dry and damaged. Her aunt Lily was always so interfering and caused nothing but trouble for the both of them.

"No? Well it is not what I saw, the devils work!" She looked at the noose again."If word gets out they won't tolerate the both of you and will be hounded out of town." Aunt Lily replied haughtily.

"No one will be saying anything..so get OUT!" Martha roared from what little strength she had and started to pick herself up from the floor. Karen looked at Martha sadly and helped her up.

"Saying that to me again? Well I'll tell you something Martha. You are an ungrateful, hateful, spiteful woman. No wonder men didn't want anything to do with you. So temperamental and jealous. You was lucky I had the kindness in my heart to take you in when your mother died. I should have sent you to a reformatory to straighten you out years ago. I ignored all the warning signs..-"

"-You only wanted the money, you never cared about me. You don't have the capacity to care for anyone but yourself! I despise everything about you. This time I won't see you again." Martha's anger trailed off as she glared at her aunt.

Aunt Lily was taken back a little by hearing it a second time. She had thick skin but even now she couldn't deny what damage has been done.

"I think you should go now" Karen stood with Martha clutching her hand whilst staring vehemently at Aunt Lily. "We have had enough for one day"

"Doing this to a poor old woman! You should know better Karen! You call yourself her friend , you should have nipped it in the bud and stopped it long ago then all of this would have never happened or even worse..!

"Leave Karen out of this you conniving old leech! I'll call the police if you don't leave this minute!"

Aunt Lily ignored her niece and started to point her finger at Karen.

"I heard you left Joe, quite the scandal! He is a good man, and rightly staying away from _this._" Aunt lily remarked venomously with her hands gesturing wildly.

Karen felt the sharp words hit her like a thousand knives but she never rose to the bait and held onto Martha's hand defiantly. Martha felt more emotion rise up and bubble out as she felt the warmth of Karen's small, accepting hand.

"Silence never did anyone any good. _Ladies_, You are making it worse for yourselves there is always truth to a rumour I say. Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves..I know I am. you will never work here again. Ever. Deviants not be associated with! The whole town will know _the truth_ I will make sure of that!" Aunt Lily wiped some tears from her raw eyes and quickly made her exit from entrance of the room.

Karen released Martha's hand and stood in front of the door closing it slowly. Karen's posture and head was bowed. The doe like hazel eyes lowered to the floor and her delicate hands moved behind herself .

Martha turned away , stood crossed armed and gazed out the window. An awkward silence between the women crept in.

"Martha..."Karen walked towards her and rested a warm, reassuring hand on her heavy shoulder. Martha flinched slightly with her touch and removed the hand swiftly. She viewed Karen lovingly and bitterly as she shifted away .Her hands were now raised to her face as a mask to conceal her inner feelings .

Karen retracted back and sighed, hugging herself tightly from the rejection. How could she feel what Martha was going through? So rarely she had been so unknowing. Karen felt nauseous that had she been any later that Martha would no longer be with her. Tears emerged from her eyes as they watched Martha. Her best friend of 10 years, Her business partner, Her confidant, Her companion. Karen finally understood within that moment, the realisation Martha wanted to die because she does _love_ her unconditionally, perhaps more than her fiancé Doctor Joseph Cardin had ever done. After all these years she often wondered why Martha had no male suitors but then it slipped to the back of her mind when the school was being setup. She just assumed Martha would always be there for her..only for her. It frightened Karen that in that second she would have lost Martha forever.

"I am so sorry Martha" Karen whispered and hugged Martha with both arms from behind burying her face into her shoulder. "I was blinded by my relationship with Joe that I could not see the suffering you were going through. I was selfish to think you would always be there for me. Please forgive me."

Martha was so overwhelmed with emotion that she couldn't speak back instantly and just smiled sadly. She removed her hands from her face and moved them down to Karen's clutching them tightly. There was another moment of silence

" I..understand..if you decide not to forgive me..I have been a terrible friend to you" Karen whispered.

"Please don't say that. I am so dirty and tainted Karen. I think I am ill...I don't know." Martha replied finally.

"Then all you need is rest Martha..I will be here for you, I promise" Karen reassured clasping her hands and gazed into her azure eyes.

Martha lowered her head slowly, she couldn't bear to look at Karen ,she thought she was too good for her.

"My feelings are still mixed up. I don't want to ruin your life any further. You are better off without a... freak like me. Go back to Joe, he is still there waiting for you."

"I don't care what you think you are Martha... I still want you to come with me. I will not leave without you." Karen smiled slowly and started to stroke Martha's golden hair.

"Karen...I.." Martha was stopped in mid-sentence by Karen's finger brushing past her lips.

"You don't need to say it to me..I know and..I do not think of you as being ill" Karen soothed.

Martha was so blissful and at ease, she felt her eyes close wishing that the moment would never end. Overwhelmed with emotion she felt she had to kiss Karen to express her joy.

Martha turned around quickly and closed in towards Karen's sweet moist lips which connected with her own. She had kissed her before but not in this way, it excited her greatly. Karen's eyes widened in response, she had not expected Martha to be so forthright but this sensation she felt was different to Joe kissing her. Martha's lips were so soft and gentle just like how she always imagined it to be. It felt right.

Joe entered the schoolhouse and ran upstairs. He burst through the door to the bedroom and stood in shock at what he saw.

"Karen!" Joe shouted in disbelief at the women kissing.

"I don't believe..it" Lily Mortar gasped as she peaked from behind Joe pointing at them both. "I told you they are both sick in the head!"

Martha released herself from Karen's grasp slowly, they were so engrossed that they never heard them come in. Both of them never responded and held each other protectively.

" I won't let you have her!" Joe stormed up to separate them like a bull seeing red. He grabbed Karen's wrist forcefully and attempted to pull her away. Martha ran up ahead of Joe to try and intercept him.

"Joe you are hurting me, let me go!" Karen cried.

Joe released his grip from Karen when he heard her. " Sorry Karen..I .."

"Joe what _are_ you here for?" Karen snapped holding her injured wrist.

"For you of course...I love you.."

"Funny way of showing it" Martha chimed in

"Karen..did she...did she make you do this?" He pointed at Martha.

"Do what?"

"Kiss...her" Joe responded reluctantly as if he was going to be sick.

" I didn't make her do anything she didn't want to do" Martha refuted coyly

"Please...stop the bickering.." Karen turned her back to both Joe and Martha and wiped a few tears quickly from her eyes.

"I think I'll be going downstairs to rest my head, I don't think I can handle this. " Lily uttered and made her way to the staircase.

"Can I be alone with you Karen, for just a minute? I need to tell you something"

"I'm not going anywhere Joe" Karen replied despairingly and looked at Martha to signal her to leave.

Martha sighed and retreated to the hallway. Aunt Lily slinked out of the shadows and looked disdainfully at her.

"You shame me Martha" Lily's voice cracked.

Silence filled the air as Martha tried to glance through the crack of the door to see what Joe and Karen were speaking about.

"Will you stop it Martha! Karen is going back to Joe, you need to stop this _obsession, _infact you need help.

"Help..?" Martha laughed hysterically and turned towards her aunt.

"Please, Martha it is for your own good! I already spoke to Dr. Cardi-"

Lily stopped as soon as she realised it was falling on deaf ears as the laughter echoed throughout the hallway penetrating her to the very core.


	2. Chapter 2

"Martha is sick, Karen. You know this as much as I do!"Joe exclaimed.

Karen turned her head and looked away at the tall distinguished man.

"I know you don't want to hear it, but it is the fact of the matter. _The truth_."

"The truth Dr. Cardin?" Karen replied coldly.

"Are we back on second name terms now Karen? Don't do this."

"Do what? I am simply calling you by your given name, if you please- continue your observations"

"Karen..." Joe sighed, taken back a little by the stinging comment.

"Well, why _are_ you here? I seem to recall asking you this about 5 minutes ago" Karen flicked her eyes in the direction of the doctor.

"I am here because of Mrs. Mortar..she said that Martha tried to kill-"

Karen's eyes diverted away and she nodded slowly, not saying a word whilst averting his gaze.

"Karen, then please-" Joe reached out for her

"Go..Joe.." Karen whispered no longer able to keep her emotions in control, she felt sick at the reminder of what just transpired.

"I can't Karen.."Joe looked around in Martha's room and saw the noose hanging freely. "I need to do this, she is a danger to herself... and to you" He looked backwards towards the hallway, hearing Martha's hysterical laughter.

Karen also heard the laughter and burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

Joe looked at Karen and sighed "You know I have a responsibility.." He trailed off. Karen never said a word ,still crying that was so uncharacteristic of her usual stoic nature.

"I don't like doing this, you know I love Martha" Joe added carefully "She needs help."

"Promise...me you won't..." Karen mustered weakly.

Doctor Joseph Cardin stood solemnly as he could not tell the truth to Karen for the first time and walked away toward the hallway.

"Martha.." Joe looked at young blonde headmistress who was serenely silent .

"Martha, are you listening to me?" He kneeled to her level and looked her straight into her now lifeless azure eyes and then glanced at Lily Mortar who was keeping her distance from her niece. Joe grimaced and grabbed Martha's shoulders with both hands "Martha I am going to take you to a special place where they will make you feel better."

Aunt Lily looked in horror, "Doctor..surely you don't mean..I did not think it was this serious"

"I'm afraid it is"

"Oh..no" Lily raised a hand to her face to cover the gravitas of the words she just heard."You can't take her away, she is the only family I have left!"

"Joseph Cardin!" Karen exclaimed standing stationary in the middle.

"Ladies..look, I have to, I don't want-"

"-You don't have a choice..I understand..." Karen spoke slowly holding back her emotions. She looked over at Martha standing there as if she was somewhere else, far away. Karen turned her back to them in an attempt to conceal her feelings.

Joe walked with Martha in tow slowly out of the farmhouse past Karen and guided her into his blue convertible. Defeated, Martha put up no resistance and surrendered to the doctor as she had no spirit remaining left to fight. With her safe in the car Joe closed the door firmly and entered into the front seat. He started the engine and turned out of the farmhouse not looking back - even for a second leaving Karen and Lily to watch the convertible disappear into the skyline.

* * *

2 months later

Karen gazed at her reflection in the wooden framed mirror of her bedroom for what seemed like an eternity. Nothing was good enough - the outfit, accessories or the shoes.

'It'll be alright' She mumbled to herself as she adjusted her expensive neck scarf and patted down her designer military styled coat. The words she spoke seem to echo throughout the room which unnerved her slightly. She never got used to living in the farmhouse by herself. It was too big and spacious for one person, Lily Mortar was gone after she gave her money to go. It was what Martha would have wanted.

"Martha.." Her voice whispered in a lowly tone.

Her thoughts reminisced back to the times where everything was fine. No, not just fine, good. She often wondered how Martha was doing, was she eating alright? Was she safe and well? Did she miss talking to her as much as she had done? More thoughts raced through her head in anticipation of visiting Martha. Karen felt her cheeks flush a little as she reached for her ear to adjust the silver ring earring it was slightly uncomfortable as she never really wore earrings. She was really looking forward to seeing her blonde haired best friend. Karen smiled in response to the thought and walked downstairs to the entrance of the large farmhouse. This was the first time in 3 weeks that she will have been out of the house properly. She only went in and out to hang up the laundry and to take it back in. At first it was difficult to even do that and she didn't even understand herself the reason why. Food was delivered on a weekly basis and often she longed to go outside but she found it impossible to be motivated. It was a lonely two months and her only visitor Joe, rarely went over and kept his distance. Karen was kept going by a few letters sent by Martha, her handwriting was always so neat and cursive with the flicks at the end of the t's and y's. Karen always did admire the way she wrote her feelings seamlessly with ease and could tell a story as if the words leaped off the pages and materialised in the real world.

Karen carefully folded Martha's latest letter that was written a few weeks back into her leather handbag , fastened the metal clasp and clutched it closely. Although short, the letter sounded encouraging and today was the day she would be able to finally see her. Today was going to be different.

* * *

Martha stirred from her slumber and awoke to a dark room .'What time is it?' she thought whilst wiping her eyes. "It doesn't matter I suppose" she muttered when the realisation dawned on her that she was back in a high security cell."Four walls, no windows, no door..no escape" Martha tried to scratch her arm gently to get feeling but then she remember that they cut her nails so short that they were barely there.

'You are awake Miss Dobie? Well you know you will have to get your jacket fastened, we cannot have you running off and do what you did last time!" A condescending female voice echoed from beyond the door that was masked by the padding of the cell. "You have to be good today or we will cancel your visit."

"Please don't...!" Martha whispered, slouching to the floor in response.

"Please don't...What?" The stern voice snapped.

"Please don't cancel my visit Nurse Starling"

"Good girl"

Light flickered into the cell as the thick padded door creaked open and the blue eyes of Martha squinted towards the azure sky in the far window behind the old nurse. Today she felt something she hadn't felt in such a long time that she had forgot what it was initially.

"Time to get your treatment. We have to make sure you look and feel your best for the special visit."Nurse Starling looked down on Martha with her beady cold eyes and grabbed her bare arm with an iron grip.

"Today, I will see you.. "Martha whispered as she was forcefully pulled toward the treatment room.


	3. Chapter 3

"I have to warn you Karen, Martha might not be the same" Joe lounged in the driver's seat of his blue convertible and flicked a cigarette end out the window.

"Nothing you will say will change my mind, Joe." Karen looked at the tanned doctor coldly.

"She is..you know..in the loony bin I'll take-"

"-Me inside? and lock me up too? Please Joe, enough damage has been done."

"Aw, c'mon Karen I was only trying to-"

"Yes...I know" she sighed and picked up her green leather handbag from the bottom of the car "...and thank you for driving me here."

Karen shut the front passenger door with a slam leaving Joe with a dejected look on his face. She gazed up at the asylum ahead, it certainly looked like a daunting building. Her legs were weak and taking a step forward felt like as if they were made of lead. Her body was trembling with a mixture of fear and excitement. There was a set of stairs that rotated upwards to the lofty entrance and with every step she felt more elated as she edged closer to the huge heavy wooden doors. At the top she stopped for a second looking back at the convertible which now looked insignificant. She saw Joe outside smoking another cigarette who gave an encouraging wave up. Karen smiled a little from the gesture and waved back. She then turned towards the door and looked for a way in. In the corner of her eye she saw what looked like a buzzer and pressed the red button which hissed in response.

There was an eerie silence which Karen thought was strange after all she did have an appointment.

"Miss, who are you waiting for?" a kindly voice quietly hummed from behind.

"I..I was going to see my friend, I have an appointment to see Martha Dobie"

The man smiled and nodded "Ah, so you must be Miss Wright, she has told of us of your coming, I will just be a few minutes." His blue-green eyes scrutinised Karen up and down for a second before he tucked away his paper bag which he held closely. He dug deep into his sandy yellow trench coat pockets and unlocked the door with his set of many keys. The heavy doors squeaked open and revealed what looked to be a reception area. The short man disappeared into the darkness beyond as Karen walked inside the asylum. It was surprisingly well lit and spacious with tall windows letting in light from the afternoon sun.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, follow me." The small man was now dressed in what looked like a doctor's uniform and underneath his arm was a clipboard. Karen glanced at it when he was waving his arms in the general direction to go, it was full of complicated looking notes from what she could tell.

"Oh I am terribly sorry I forgot to introduce myself, I am Dr. Smyth, Miss Dobie's psychiatrist." He held out his right hand towards Karen. He looked in his mid to late 30's and was smaller than her by about an inch. His brown hair was long to the nape of his neck and swept in an unkempt way. His eyes was fixated on her with a childish grin appeared as he stepped forward.

"How do you do." Karen greeted politely and shook his hand, his grip was tight and lingered for a bit longer than what she would have liked.

"It is rare that we get visitors such as yourself along" He walked ahead and held a door open for Karen. It got more dark and dreary the further they went in the building.

"Oh, why is that?" Karen inquired. She looked around her surroundings, the place did have an aura about it that made her feel uncomfortable.

"Numerous reasons, most of the time the patients here are…forgotten about."

"That's terrible!"

"Yes, well it is that too." Dr. Smyth looked at a nurse who was standing at the entrance to a ward who opened the door. The smell of which can be only described as foul to Karen hit her as the doors swung open. She lifted her hand to her nose and entered. The next part she wished she never saw as there were two wards on either side with glass barriers to glance through. Karen felt all eyes were on her as she walked through the ward. The women looked ill and dishevelled, there must have been 20 sharing a space for half that amount. Some were strapped into chairs and others were with nurses getting medication.

The doctor noticed her reaction and patted her on the back "That's normal, don't worry they won't bite." He laughed a little as they walked to a solitary room at the bottom of the ward.

"Here we are." Dr. Smyth knocked on the door and walked in. Karen felt her heart miss a beat when she stepped in the small room. Then she saw Martha or what looked to be Martha behind a glass barrier.

"...Martha?" Karen called to the blonde haired woman.

"Karen!"Martha beamed and reached out towards the boundary of the glass screen with her hand. Karen noted how much thinner she looked and her hair! It was much longer - down to her shoulders. It neatly brushed into her usual style but without the curled edges due to the lack of rollers. She was wearing her favourite cardigan and pinafore dress.

"Oh, it is you! how I missed you!" Karen brown doe eyes glistened with emotion. She walked up to the glass and pressed her hand against the glass." We have so much to catch-"

Karen stopped as she noticed something along the inside of Martha's arm as the cardigan sloped back an inch when raised to the glass

"Yes, we do" Martha reacted to Karen's hesitation and returned to her solitary seat.

"Don't mind me ladies." Dr. Smyth looked up at Karen from his seat in the corner. "I'll be here for the entire time of this session for security reasons." he added whilst looking down at his notes.

"I'm really glad you came Karen...I thought.. you might not want to visit me" Martha rose up and walked towards the glass, her voice quivering.

"Don't be silly Martha, of course I would!" Karen exclaimed with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Even in a place like this..." Martha smiled wryly. Her hands lifted up gesturing around the gloomy enclosure.

"How are you doing?" Karen quizzed.

Martha's eyes watered and diverted from Karen's to the corner where the doctor is sitting and sighed. She pulled down the arms her frayed pink cardigan towards her hands and then smiled "I'm doing alright."

Karen noted her response, it didn't sound like she was alright.

"Really? Well-"

"I'm alright Karen, really you worry too much!" Martha gave an icy glare to the doctor who was too busy writing furiously on his clipboard. She smiled warmly as she inspected up and down at Karen's attire.

"You didn't need to dress up to the nines for me..but you do look pretty. Are those fancy new clothes from New York?"

"Yes they are new" Karen nodded slowly - Martha did always notice and compliment her."..and I like dressing up for special occasions"

"I'm glad you... think I'm good enough"

"Martha, why are you putting yourself down like this? You are my friend. If I can't look nice for you who else can I do it for?"

Dr. Smyth stopped writing and looked intently at them both.

"You can dress up for Joe, Karen. Please say you're back with him"

"No, I'm not...and I haven't really been out of the house since you left that day." Karen reached for her handbag and started to rummage around in it. "It has been a lonesome 2 months…anyway enough chatter about me, I have a present for you!" Karen beamed.

The doctor in the corner seemed to be writing down everything that they were saying and more.

"What can it be..?" Martha wondered out loud

Karen unfolded an ornately decorated pale blue, peter pan collared dress.

Martha's eyes widened "It's…beautiful. It must have cost a fortune!"

"Now Martha , you are needing pampered, this was the least I could do and I won't leave until you accept it." Karen reached down and brought out another item of clothing. "and here is a cardigan to match, you wear that old one like a bad habit!" she pointed to the cardigan that Martha was wearing which was of desperately needing a repair or two.

"You always know what I'm needing." Martha chirped.

"I'm afraid we cannot allow gifts Miss Wright." Dr Smyth bellowed from the corner.

"Oh…I'm sorry I did not realise." Karen clutched onto the clothing and looked at Martha sadly. "Well, I'll have it at home waiting for you"

"Thank you Karen, by the way how's the Duchess? I hope she hadn't been annoying you." Martha queried.

"She's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?"

"Broadway, like she always wanted."

"Where did she get the money from!? Karen please don't-"

Karen sighed and folded out a newspaper in front of Martha. Her ice blue eyes widened as she read the headline.

"She..she did that!?" Martha exclaimed.

Karen nodded "Yes, Mrs Tilford has written an apology to us both and the money.."

"We didn't need to take that awful woman's money!"

"... readily accepted it on your behalf, she couldn't wait to leave Lancet" Karen bitterly replied folded up the paper tightly.

"I bet..." Martha rolled her cat-like eyes and turned away from Karen with her back hunched and making her now lithe frame smaller. Then there was silence.

"...She didn't want the shame of having her niece in the loony bin."Martha's voice broke into a sob.

"Oh..Martha" Karen put her hand out, she wished so much that she could comfort her friend."It wasn't like that at all!"

Martha turned away from Karen to hide her tear stained face, the pain and shame to bear was awful."I have no-one, no.. family..."

"You _do ,_you have _me_ Martha!" Karen traced her hand over the glass where Martha was standing.

"10 minutes left ladies" the doctor mumbled and stood up whilst continued writing without looking up.

Karen felt her heart sink, so little time left with her dear friend, there was so much she wanted to tell her! _Martha, what have they done to you?_

"Doctor could I have a few minutes alone to speak to Martha?"

"Unfortunately we can't allow that due to sensitive information potentially being passed from visitors to patients."Dr. Smyth walked forward and faced them both with his pen not moving from the page.

"Surely you can extend it for a bit longer." Karen pleaded.

"We all have work to do Miss Wright, rules are rules."

"I see." Karen remained composed although the inflection of her voice could not disguise the disappointment she felt.

Martha looked at Karen desperately and began to walk around the perimeter of the room. Her arms were folded tightly as she gripped unto herself. Her pace began to speed up as time passed. Karen sighed deeply and at down in the wooden visitor's chair. Dr. Smyth looked up from his notes and glanced at the pair.

"5 minutes remaining, time to say goodbye." Dr. Smyth stood and peered over to Martha, observing her behaviour closely.

Martha continued to circle around the room getting more and more agitated.

"LET ME OUT!" Martha cried and thumped on the glass barrier. "_PLEASE_ Karen...I _NEED _be free. Free from here...anywhere but this...place" Her voice trailed off into a whimper.

Karen was taken by the sudden outburst, she never saw Martha look so despairingly sad. She held out her hand toward the glass and pressed against its coldness.

"Doctor, Martha doesn't need to be in here, we got pardoned-"

"Quite on the contrary, Miss Wright" Dr. Smyth tapped his clipboard "She needs further treatment"

"I'm normal! I don't need to be here!" Martha shouted frantically.

The doctor pushed up his glasses towards his beady eyes and gave a smirk. "Would a normal person such as yourself Miss Dobie hurt themselves intentionally for the purpose of ending one owns life?"

Karen frowned at the doctor, what exactly did he mean? Martha did try to kill herself once before but she thought it would have been a one off after all the stress of the trial accumulated and bubbled over.

"Well Miss Dobie..?" Dr. Smyth faced Martha directly towards the glass, his voice laced with contemptuous gloating" Show Miss Wright how normal you_ really_ are." Martha lowered her head in shame and slid up the long sleeves of her frayed cardigan revealing the scars and wounds of self-infliction.

Karen was stunned, although she suspected it before but to have it confirmed in such a demeaning, subservient way made it all so raw and surreal. It wasn't just one, there were many along the inside of her pale thin arms all glaring at her.

"Martha..." Karen struggled to speak with the shock she got from Martha's scars.

Martha stared at Karen lifelessly like that time before, her cat eyes nonchalant and withdrawn from reality. Her lips were chapped , and hair was dry. Why didn't she notice this before? Martha wasn't looking good at all with a closer inspection.

"I'm normal Karen see? Please take me home with you, I can't stand it here anymore..." Martha whispered, now with her arms against the glass of the barrier.

"Time is up." Dr. Smyth called. "Say goodbye to Miss Wright, Martha."

Karen's heart lurched and she felt nauseous, why couldn't she say anything more to Martha? This was not a place to breakdown and cry even how much she felt like it.

"I've failed you Martha" Karen uttered in a barely audible tone and expired deeply to let the pain out.

"Good-Bye Karen" Martha smiled with red hollow eyes and slunk into background as the nurse opened the door. As Martha exited back first towards the door, Karen saw her face disappear into the shadows and mouthed 'I love you' to her in hope Martha would see it.


End file.
